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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. tube — a container
  4. fall — the season
  5. scale — in music
  6. wound — an injury
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. suit — clothes
  9. tube — the underground
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. fall — to drop
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. mug — to rob
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. branch — a division
  17. fall — to drop
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. scale — size or range
  20. mug — a face
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wound — an injury
  24. mug — a cup

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com